Population 20,153 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Charlestown
Household size in Charlestown
| Period | Charlestown | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.13 | 2.54 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.17 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.18 | 2.60 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.14 | 2.55 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.01 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Charlestown is a place of small households, averaging 2.14 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Households are largest in the northeast and smallest in the southeast. Only 16 of the 275 Massachusetts cities with 5,000+ people have smaller households.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Charlestown
| Period | Charlestown | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.8 | 38.9 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 35.4 | 39.7 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 36.6 | 40.4 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 36.7 | 40.8 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.9 | +1.9 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Charlestown is 36.7 years old, a few years younger than the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 34.8, as it has nationally. Only 12 of the 275 Massachusetts cities with 5,000+ people are younger.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Charlestown
| Period | Charlestown | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.4% | 10.4% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.7% | 10.2% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.8% | 9.6% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.4% | 9.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.1 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly one in ten households in Charlestown (9.4%), below the national share of 11.6%. The Boston area as a whole looks much the same. Compared with other Massachusetts cities, though, Charlestown has a higher share of single-parent households than most.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Charlestown
Renters in Charlestown
| Period | Charlestown | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 52.9% | 36.8% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 57.4% | 38.5% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 52.8% | 38.3% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 49.3% | 38.4% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | −3.6 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is far more common in Charlestown than nationally: 49.3% of households rent their homes, against 34.8%. More than a third of owners (36.3%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has fallen 3.6 points, even as the national share rose. Of the 275 Massachusetts cities with 5,000+ people, only 26 have a higher share of renters.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Charlestown
| Period | Charlestown | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.8% | 8.1% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 7.0% | 7.4% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.1% | 7.3% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.3% | 6.7% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.5 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Charlestown: 6.3% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. The picture is much the same across the Boston area. Since 2006–10, vacancy has edged down 0.5 points, a smaller shift than nationally.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Charlestown
| Period | Charlestown | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1951 | 1958 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1952 | 1959 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1950 | 1961 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1954 | 1964 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Charlestown is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1954, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The median year built has moved up from 1951 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the west, the oldest in the south.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Charlestown
| Period | Charlestown | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,284 | $1,171 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,361 | $1,251 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,743 | $1,537 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,333 | $2,051 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,049 | +$881 | +$775 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Charlestown costs $2,333 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $1,049 a month since 2006–10, up 82%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 24.6% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Rents run highest in the southeast and lowest in the northeast.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Charlestown
Bachelor's degrees in Charlestown
| Period | Charlestown | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 58.6% | 42.2% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 60.6% | 44.1% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 65.5% | 48.2% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 72.5% | 51.9% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +13.9 pts | +9.7 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Charlestown: 72.5% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. The share with a degree is up 13.9 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Charlestown
| Period | Charlestown | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 89.5% | 89.8% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 89.3% | 90.6% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 90.9% | 91.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 91.7% | 91.8% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.3 pts | +2.1 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Charlestown is a bit above the national rate: 91.7% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. That is in line with the rest of the Boston area. The share with a diploma is up 2.3 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Charlestown
| Period | Charlestown | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.9% | 7.0% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.9% | 8.0% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.5% | 4.6% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.0% | 4.9% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.9 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Charlestown runs below the national rate: 4.0% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment is down 2.9 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Charlestown compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlestown | 2.14 | 36.7 | 9.4% | 49.3% | 6.3% | 1954 | $2,333 | 72.5% | 91.7% | 4.0% |
| Chelsea | 3.11 | 34.8 | 19.9% | 74.0% | 5.3% | 1955 | $1,958 | 21.3% | 69.9% | 9.3% |
| Everett | 2.95 | 36.8 | 16.4% | 62.8% | 9.1% | 1949 | $2,022 | 24.7% | 77.7% | 5.0% |
| Somerville | 2.27 | 32.9 | 3.9% | 65.7% | 6.6% | 1945 | $2,529 | 70.5% | 93.3% | 3.2% |
| Cambridge | 2.07 | 32.1 | 6.3% | 66.6% | 11.0% | 1959 | $2,761 | 81.4% | 96.4% | 3.3% |
| Boston area | 2.55 | 40.8 | 9.7% | 38.4% | 6.7% | 1964 | $2,051 | 51.9% | 91.8% | 4.9% |
| Medford | 2.42 | 38.0 | 7.9% | 45.4% | 7.1% | 1950 | $2,421 | 59.6% | 94.1% | 3.9% |
| Malden | 2.57 | 36.9 | 10.4% | 58.7% | 8.9% | 1955 | $2,246 | 46.0% | 85.9% | 4.7% |
| Revere | 2.77 | 39.8 | 13.1% | 54.6% | 9.2% | 1963 | $2,057 | 23.9% | 81.3% | 6.1% |
| Allston | 2.21 | 28.4 | 6.2% | 87.6% | 10.5% | 1955 | $2,483 | 73.5% | 95.3% | 5.9% |
| Brookline | 2.20 | 36.1 | 4.6% | 56.8% | 4.7% | 1946 | $2,825 | 85.1% | 97.7% | 4.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Chino Valley, AZ · Mead Valley, CA · Copiague, NY · Mayfield, KY · Columbia City, IN · Coldwater, MI · Riverton, NJ · Clive, IA · Clinton, TN · Clinton, NC
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Charlestown. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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